You're a Sick One, Mr Grinch
by Brentinator
Summary: Everyone in Queens loved Christmas a lot. But Peter Parker, also know as Spider-Man, did not. Peter loved Christmas, but hated the whole Christmas season. Go ahead and ask why, he'll tell you the reason. Christmas is usually filled with cheer, happiness and good will. But it's hard to feel those feelings when you're in bed and ill. For TheeBlackSapphire!


**This is for my giftee, TheeBlackSapphire! I really hope you like it! You Invited me to the first Secret Santa, and I had so much fun, and now that I've been co-hosting these since 2016, I'm finally able to do one for you!**

 **Have a very merry Christmas!**

 **And now, on with the story!**

Everyone in Queens loved Christmas a lot. But Peter Parker, also know as Spider-Man, did not.

Peter loved Christmas, but hated the whole Christmas season.

Go ahead and ask why, he'll tell you the reason.

Christmas is usually filled with cheer, happiness and good will. But it's hard to feel those feelings when you're in bed and ill.

And Peter could feel this happening yet again as he was with his two best friends, going down Queens Boulevard, looking at lights and shopping for loved ones.

He could feel the sniffling starting to build up in his nose, and the congestion building up in his chest, but he was gonna find his aunt a present, even if he ended up in the hospital.

"I love Christmas lights." MJ admitted, looking up at the red, white, blue and green blinking lights lining the streets of Queens as she walked down the streets with Ned and Peter behind her, all three of them doing their Christmas shopping.

She was taken out of her winter wonderland when she heard Peter sneeze loudly for the thirteenth time, she might add, that night.

"Dude, why don't you just go home?" Ned questioned, both of them turning to see Peter struggling to keep up, blocking his mouth as he coughed with his coat sleeve.

"Yeah, you sound awful." MJ added, quickly finding a bench for the three of them to sit on while Peter caught his breath.

"Have to find something for May."

"But if you get sick and die, it won't matter." MJ reasoned, receiving two sets of glares, but she ignored them and continued. "Either you go home or I'll tell her."

"Come on, guys. I'm fine!"

"I agree with MJ. What if you're really sick or something?" Ned questioned in concern, looking his friend in the eyes.

Peter sighed and stood up, straightening out his coat. Ned always managed to guilt trip him into doing things he didn't want to do.

"Fine, but if you find anything that May might like, can you send me a picture?"

"Sure, whatever, just go home before you get us sick." MJ demanded, covering her face with her gloves jokingly, ignoring the eye rolls from both of the boys before Peter started walking back home, the only light being the illuminating Christmas lights hanging above him on the polls lining the streets.

••••••••••••••••

"Hey, May." Peter greeted, shrugging his backpack on the ground before collapsing on the couch, seeing his aunt distracted on her laptop as she used a single finger to point at his backpack.

"Put it on the hook."

He groaned, picking up his backpack and sliding the handle onto the hook, before returning to the couch, and turning on the TV, looking for a Christmas movie of sorts, crappy or otherwise.

"Did you finish your Christmas shopping?"

"No, MJ and Ned made me come home." He stopped to cough into his elbow, which diverted her attention away from her laptop. "Said I was sick."

She walked over to him, putting her hand on his forehead, feeling a slight warmth radiating from it.

"You feel warm." She told him, leaning down to kiss his forehead, before gently ruffling his hair. "Maybe head to bed early?"

"Okay." Peter nodded, turning off the TV, and standing up. "Night, May."

"Good night, sweetheart. Come get me if you need me."

He went upstairs, changing into a pair of sweatpants, before immediately crawling under the covers, trying to escape the cold filling the apartment.

•••••••••••••••

The next morning, May went to go check on Peter, and winced sympathetically when she saw he had gotten out the quilts, a tell tale sign that he was indeed sick.

She gently pulled the blanket down so she had a full view of his flushed face before gently pressing her hand to his forehead, feeling the heat coming off of it.

"Peter, sweetheart. You need to wake up." She insisted, gently shaking him in order to get up the usually light sleeper.

"-on't wanna school..." He mumbled, holding one of the quilts in his tight fist.

"Honey, you're running a fever. I need to take your temperature." May insisted, and sure enough, Peter sat up slowly, his pajama sleeves covering his hands as he covered his eyes.

May slipped the thermometer between his lips, pressing a kiss to his forehead before going downstairs and grabbing a cup of water and the bottle of acetaminophen, before going back upstairs.

She sat down on the edge of his bed when the thermometer beeped. She took it out, and looked at the temperature, wincing sympathetically.

"102.4, kiddo."

She handed him the water and acetaminophen, watching him down the pills.

"Let's take off a few layers, okay?" She suggested, gently taking off two of the quilts. "Just so you can cool down a bit more."

Peter nodded, already starting to fall back to sleep.

"Call me if you need me." May insisted, gently patting his leg before going to get ready for work while ignoring the tugging feeling to call out of work and stay with Peter all day.

••••••••••••••

Peter groaned as he heard his phone ring. He wanted to retreat back under the covers, but he figured it might be important, so he sniffed before picking up.

"Hello?" He asked, swallowing back a shot of pain from his throat as he sat up straight.

"Wow, you really sound sick. I called to ask where you were." Ned's concerned voice came through the speaker. "You were supposed to present a project with MJ, and now she's pissed."

"Right, right." He insisted, rubbing his eyes as he stood up, shaking. "Can you come get the papers during lunch or something? I have them all ready, I just-" He was cut off by a deep, chesty cough which made his throat burn more.

"Say no more, I'll be there at 12:10." Ned insisted. "But actually don't speak anymore. MJ said suck on a cough drop and- I'm not telling him that!"

"See you then." Peter smirked, hanging up before going to the desk and arranged the papers in order.

He grabbed the folder and worked his way down the stairs, grasping onto the rail as he walked down slowly, setting it on the coffee table before picking up his phone and updating Ned.

Peter: (10:26 a.m.) It's on the coffee table, now let me die in peace.

Ned: (10:27 a.m.) ok, ok. just leave the door unlocked or something so I can get it. I lost the house key you gave me in my room and I don't have time to search for it.

Peter: (10:27 a.m.) I'll just stay downstairs for two hours.

Ned: (10:29 a.m.) ok. Get some sleep though.

Peter: (10:30 a.m.) Say no more.

Peter turned his phone off, and went to the TV, flipping through the channels before deciding on It's a Wonderful Life (it was the only Christmas movie he could find), and going into the kitchen to make himself some toast.

•••••••••••••••••

"Peter..." He heard a gentle voice say, disturbing him from his deep sleep.

"Wha?" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes before looking to see May with a concerned look on her face and running her hand through his hair before explaining.

"You've been asleep since team 10:30. It's 4."

"But I'm sick." He tried to rationalize, before blinking himself awake.

"I know, kiddo. Do you want something to eat?"

Peter nodded, and watched as May went to the stove, starting to cook a can of chicken noodle soup.

"Do I need to tell Tony that we're not coming to his Christmas party?"

"No, no, I'll be fine." Peter insisted, as he moved from the couch, smiling at the lack of homework on the coffee table, to the dining room table, rubbing his eyes again.

He looked up to see May waving a thermometer near his face. "Open up, kiddo." He opened his mouth with a groan, letting her slip it under his tongue before putting his head in his hands, before she went back to the stove.

It beeped a few minutes later, and he took it out, giving her the reading.

"102.3"

"I'll get you some Tylenol. You up for watching a movie while eating tonight?" She asked, getting the pills out of the container.

"The Polar Express?"

May smiled, putting the pills and water on the table. "Absolutely."

•••••••••••••••••••••••

It never was the worst of the cold that got Peter, it was the tail end. The last few days where you feel better, but you still are coughing, sneezing and a low fever that just brings you down and makes you mad that you're still sick.

And of course, that just happened to fall on the day of Tony's Christmas party, a event Peter wasn't required to attend, but he really wanted to go.

May went to go get him up that morning, knowing it was going to be a challenge, before walking into his room and turning on the light, making him groan under the covers.

"Come on, kiddo. Tony's party is today." She insisted, gently rubbing his back. "You know, the party you insisted on going to with a 102.3 fever."

"Too sick."

"Bullshit." She replied, taking the covers off of him, forcing him to curl up into a ball. "You wanted to go, and I'm leaving work two hours early to go. No canceling now."

"But, May, I don't feel so good." He insisted, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, which made her smile and kiss his forehead.

"Be ready by the time I get back, remember that we are taking some food, and be festive." She insisted, ruffling his hair. "I love you."

"Love you too." He grinned as she went on his way.

He locked the door, and after quickly contemplating wether or not he should start getting ready, he went back upstairs, and threw his covers back on, starting to fall back to sleep when his phone started ringing.

"Hello?" He demanded, a groan escaping his lips as he pushed the covers off and went to go put a Christmas movie on for background noise while he tried to bake something for the party that night.

"Hey, loser." MJ's familiar tone replied, probably with that smirk on her face. "You sound better. Do you have plans for today?"

"I'm leaving for a party at five, why?"

"Cause I'm leaving till January tonight and I have your Christmas present ready."

"You can drop it off if you want. I'm baking all day for this party."

"I'll just mail it. Have fun baking, Parker."

"Bye, MJ." He smirked, hearing her hang up before turning on The Grinch and getting to work on gingerbread cookies (even though Mr. Stark told him that they didn't have to bring anything and that it was just them and a few of the Avengers)

••••••••••••••••••••

By eight that night, Peter and May were at the party, which was more of a gathering if Peter was being completely honest.

Everyone was sitting on the couches, plates in hand as they watched Home Alone.

Peter was squished in between Tony and May, curled under a snowflake decorated throw blanket, and while he was trying to focus on Kevin's antics and genius traps, he was scanning the room and eating sugar cookies.

T'Challa was sitting on a couch with his sister, and while he was trying to enjoy the movie, Shuri was smug and insisting how she could do way better if she was in Kevin's situation, clearly annoying him.

Rhodey was falling asleep, due to his distaste for the movie (which caused everyone to demand why), and Natasha was sitting beside him, watching intently.

Pepper was on the other side of Tony, leaning on his shoulder, fully immersed, just like her husband, who had one arm around her and the other around him.

And finally, Clint and Laura were sitting on the couch, and Laura was holding Nathaniel, while Clint had a arm around Cooper and Lila, who were falling asleep as well, despite having a longer drive then May and Peter did.

Everyone was starting to fall asleep, with the exception of Natasha (who Peter was told doesn't sleep much) when there was a whir and all the lights went out, the TV quickly following as everyone groaned.

Peter curled more under the covers, knowing that it was gonna get cold if the power was out, as Tony stood up.

"I'll go check the fuse box. Rhodes, think you can get a flashlight?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." He insisted, getting up and grabbing the flashlight before following Tony downstairs.

"So you're the kid who fought Captain America at the airport?" Shuri asked with a raised eyebrow , almost like she wasn't gonna believe a word that came out of his mouth.

"I'm your age!" Peter insisted, before sticking his entire body except his head under the blanket. "Now let me die in peace."

"Geez, kid. You alright?" Natasha asked as she got up to grab another Christmas cookie.

"He's on the tail end of a cold." May insisted, gently ruffling his hair. "That's usually when he's the most miserable."

"Makes sense." Natasha insisted as she sat back down, biting into her gingerbread. "I get too antsy after being sick for three days."

Then the power whirred back to life, along with the TV, with Rhodey and Tony returning shortly after just as the credits of Home Alone started playing.

"Who's ready to watch The Grinch?"

"Which one?" Clint questioned while wrapping his two older kids in blankets. "Cause the Jim Carrey one is classic."

"The animated one. It's a actual classic." Tony looked at him with a "are you serious" look on his face before flipping it on and taking his seat back between Pepper and Peter, wrapping his arms around both of them.

And while the intro started and Tony and Clint were fighting about which one was better, it was interrupted by the sound of snoring.

And there Peter was, sleeping soundly on May and Tony, as the Whos started singing.

"Da-who dorays, Fa-who forays, welcome Christmas, Christmas day..."


End file.
